


Wounds

by ErikaWilliams



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, M/M, elements of non-con, midgame spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 11:00:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15095330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErikaWilliams/pseuds/ErikaWilliams
Summary: Gladio deals with the aftermath of his loss to Ravus.





	Wounds

**Author's Note:**

> So, when I first heard Prompto hesitantly ask Gladio how his wounds were treating him on a youtube video, I assumed that line took place some time after Gladio up and ran off. When I found out it was after the fight with Ravus instead, this idea took a hold and wouldn't leave me alone.
> 
> Now for something completely different from what I normally write.

How had it come to this? The last few days everything had spiraled out of control. First, they had all nearly died at the hands of the Titan, and they had lost the car. Then that damned snake had made off with Prompto right under his nose. He had been standing less than four feet away, and that snake had just slipped in there and carried Prompto off. Sure, they had found him easily enough, all they had to do was follow the screams, but it didn’t change the fact that Prompto had been taken on his watch. It was his job to protect them. The next time it might not be Prompto. The next time it might be Noct. The next time someone might die.

His nerves had been on fire the rest of the time they had been in that cave. He kept looking around, waiting for something else to take one of them away. It happened once and he wasn’t about to let it happen again. Even once they finally made it back to fresh air, he still couldn’t relax. There were other threats that could sneak up on them.

They were supposed to rest up before they broke into the outpost to steal back the car. They had all had a rough couple of days, and they needed to be at their best to carry out their mission. Prompto and Noct were both out like a light before he decided to sneak out of the tent. Ignis had still been up, but he didn’t seem keen on waking the other two so he remained silent. It only made sense for them to get some rest. After that thing had snuck up on Prompto earlier, if they were half asleep, there was no telling what might sneak up on them next. It might be a bigger snake. It might be something even worse. So while the other three rested, he had paced along the edge of the haven. He had to stay on guard. Something could happen to the other three while they were sleeping.

He could have blamed his loss against Ravus on his agitated nerves, or the lack of sleep, but the truth was, he just wasn’t strong enough. He hadn’t been able to protect any of them. Prompto even had to come and protect him. He was supposed to be the Shield. 

They had eventually retrieved the car and had retreated to a distant Haven for the night. They needed to stay low for a while, so no soft beds for them that night. The air had a chill to it that the fire had not entirely been able to chase away.

One by one, the other three had retreated to the safety of the tent. Ignis stayed out with him for a while, but ultimately retired as well. 

“Don’t stay out too much longer, Gladio,” Ignis advised. “You need rest just as much as the rest of us.”

“I’ll be in,” he said, waving him off. Ignis didn’t push the issue, just ducked into the tent. He pushed himself out of the holding chair and moved to the edge of the haven to sit with his feet dangling over the edge. He should get some rest, but Ravus’ taunts kept playing on repeat in his head and the wound in his lower back burned. The cold air actually helped ease some of the pain. It couldn’t do anything to ease the wound in his pride. He wasn’t sure anything would be able to soothe that. Ravus was right; he wasn’t strong enough to protect anyone.

He could just ignore the cold. He didn’t deserve the comfort of warmth and friends. He hadn’t done anything to earn it. The cold would make him stronger. He rolled his shoulders experimentally, hissing as the muscles pulled at the wound. It felt like something might be stuck in there. He couldn’t go to the mirror in the car without leaving the safety of the haven, and he couldn’t ask the others to take a look at it. He couldn’t let them see him like this. And it was in one of those weird spots that he couldn’t quite reach on his own. It would just have to work itself out on its own eventually. In the meantime, he would just have to deal with it.

Someone crawled out of the tent behind him, but he didn’t bother looking. Probably just someone who needed a bathroom break. Not Noct though. He could sleep through anything.

“Hey, Big Guy,” Prompto called to him, and his spine went rigid. “You coming to bed soon?” By the sound of the footsteps, he was coming closer to him. Prompto was probably the last person he wanted to see at the moment. “I’m freezing in there. I need my human furnace.”

Prompto practically hero worshiped him. He didn’t think he would be able to handle it if Prompto started to look at him differently. Prompto would if he knew the severity of the wound Ravus had inflicted upon him.

“Gladio?” Prompto asked, sitting down on the edge of the haven next to him. “Are you okay?”

Definitely not. Not with this wound in his back. Not with having failed to protect Prompto earlier. Not with Prompto having seen him at his weakest.

“Kind of scaring me here,” Prompto said, inching closer to him. Any closer and he would practically be sitting in his lap. Maybe nothing had to change because of this. Maybe he could actually use this to his advantage. 

“Can you help me lose the jacket?” he asked, unsure if he would be able to do it himself. And if he kept Prompto off guard, maybe he wouldn’t think too much about that humiliating defeat he had witnessed earlier. Then they could go on like before, like nothing had changed. Prompto would forget all about what would happen earlier.

“Um, sure,” Prompto said as he inched around behind him to get a better angle. His bony hands were shaking as they brushed against Gladio’s neck in their quest to grip his collar. Prompto was like a bird in a cage staring down a cat. If he had known Prompto was going to be this nervous, he probably would have struggled with it by himself.

Eventually, Prompto managed to grab his collar and started to slowly pull the jacket back from his shoulders. Like he was studying ever detail. Like Prompto had never seen him shirtless before or something.

“Shit, Gladio,” Prompto said, and Gladio could feel his restless energy as he shifted around behind him. He groaned when Prompto pressed his fingers tentatively to the edges of the wound. “I think I should go get Ignis to take a look at this.”

“No,” he said, reaching blindly behind him to grab Prompto’s hand before he could go running off. He didn’t need the others to see him like this as well. “I want you to take care of it.”

“It looks like there’s something stuck in there,” Prompto said nervously, but his hand had never strayed from his side. That was encouraging.

“Then pull it out before you use the potion,” he growled. He didn’t mean to be harsh, but the sooner they got that wound taken care of, the better off they would all be. Prompto didn’t seem to take offense; he must have understood. 

“Okay,” Prompto said quietly, and Gladio braced himself for the pain as whatever it was was pulled out. A flash went by as Prompto threw whatever it was over the edge of the haven before quickly breaking the potion against the wound. “Is that better?” Prompto asked softly, fingers trailing across his freshly healed skin.

“Much,” he sighed in relief as the pain ebbed away to a faded memory. He flexed the muscles in his back experimentally and heard Prompto sigh behind him. Prompto hadn’t removed his hand, fingers delicately tracing the outline of his tattoo.

He should tell him to stop. That whatever it was Prompto imagined happening between them couldn’t, for a number of reasons. That things between them had to stay strictly professional for Noct’s sake. Then again, if the way Prompto was currently admiring the muscles in his back were any indication, he certainly didn’t think any less of him.

He certainly felt worthless. Like he wasn’t deserving of that attention Prompto’s eyes were most likely lavishing upon him. He couldn’t bear to look at him, to see if it was true. He clenched his eyes shut and dropped his head forward, letting Prompto have free access to his back. He would probably stay back there all night if he would let him. He had, on occasion, caught Prompto looking at him like he wanted to climb him like a tree.

Maybe that was exactly what the doctor ordered for his wounds. He quickly turned around and cupped the back of Prompto’s head, crashing their lips together. Prompto let out a surprised yelp, and inched away.

“Shhh,” he whispered in Prompto’s ear as he lowered the two of them to the ground, careful not to put all his weight on Prompto but still effectively trapping him beneath him. “You wouldn’t want the others to come out and see us like this, would you?”

“I-” Prompto started, but Gladio cut him off with another kiss. It seemed like the most effective method of keeping him quiet. And the one that was most satisfactory to both parties. He smelled like sunshine and the grass he was always rolling around in. His hair was soft underneath his fingers. Part of his shirt had bunched up when they tumbled to the ground, and the fingers of his other hand grazed along the sensitive skin he found there.

Prompto was not nearly as enthusiastic or as responsive as he had expected or hoped he would be. Probably just the shock. He had never given Prompto reason to believe anything would come from that little crush Prompto thought he was keeping secret. He knew just the trick to get Prompto to open up to him though. 

He grabbed one of Prompto’s hands and cupped it against his growing arousal. Once Prompto realized he wanted him, he would be much more receptive to his advances.

Instead, Prompto’s other fist collided with his jaw, knocking him off of him and onto the ground. 

“What the hell, Prompto?” he asked as he sat up, massaging his jaw. There was sure to be a bruise there tomorrow.

“I can’t believe you would use me like that just so you could feel better about yourself,” Prompto said without even looking at him. “I’m going back to the tent. You shouldn’t stay out too long. The others are worried about you.” Prompto retreated back to the tent like a wounded animal without even looking at him.

He pulled his legs closer to his chest and looked past the edge of the Haven. He had really fucked things up this time.


End file.
